Locking system for mail-boxes.



PATENTED JAN 13, 1903. J. E. WALSH. LOOKING SYSTEM FOR MAIL BOXES.

APPLIOATION.IILED MAY 20, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

JOHN E. WALSH, OF WASHINGTON,

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LOCKING SYSTEM FOR MAIL-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,553, dated January13, 1903. Application filed May 20. 1902. g rial No. 108,224. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. WALSH, of Washington, District of Columbia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Systems forMail-Boxes, of which the following is a complete specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in lookingsystems for receptacles, and principally for mail-boxes, and constitutesan improvement on the inven tion for which Letters Patent were issued tome under date of May 6, 1902, No. 699,597. As with the invention of saidpatent this invention has also for its object to provide means whereby amailcollector or other proper person will be compelled to visit andcollect from each receptacle or a mail-box on the route in the regularprescribed order, the opening of any one box in the series beingdependent on the previous opening of the box immediately preceding. Inaccomplishing this object I provide each mail-box in the route with alock substantially the same as the other locks in that route, theexception being that a certain part, hereinafter referred to as abarrier, is turned to a different position from the correspondingbarriers of the other looks. I mount a key on a portable key-carrierandprovide it with an adjustable guard, which relative position with thesuccessive operations of a series of keys, hereinafter calledcarrier-keys. The guard is designed to coact with the barriers of thebox-locks to prevent the operation of such box-locks except when theguard is in the proper position to pass the barriers. The severalcarrier-keys are confined in the receptacles or'mail-boxes along theroute, each being contained in the receptacle or box immediatelypreceding .the receptacle or box for which it is adapted to adjust theguard of the box-key in position for operating the lock thereof. By thisarrangement the mail-collector starts his trip with the box-keyinposition for operating the lock of the first box on his route only, andafter removing the contents of that box he inserts the carrier-key foundtherein and turns the guard or box key into position for operating thelock of the second box, at the same time locking the box-key in thatposition. This operation is continued in regular is adapted to bechanged in its order until all the mail-boxes have been visited. Whenthe last box has been visited, the use of the key therein turns theguard or box key into position for operating the first box at the nextcollection. It will thus be seen that the carrier must have previouslyvisited and opened the box immediately preceding in order that he mayopen any box in his route, thereby insuring a faithful performance ofthe duties of his position, which consist in collecting from each andevery box in his route in regular order on each trip, and renderingimpossible that any box shall be overlooked, either by intention ormistake, as if such be the case the collector would be unable to openany box following the one overlooked, or, in fact, any box in theseries, without first going back to said box.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in thenovel details of construction and combination of parts, which areclearly set forth in the following specification and particularlypointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

Referringto the accompanyingdrawings,in which similarcharacters ofreference are used to denote similar parts in each of the several views,Figure 1 is a perspective View of an open mail-box, exposing to view thekey confined therein. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the box-key andcarrier. Fig. 3 is atransverse section thereof. Fig. 1 is an endelevation of the box-key and carrier. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of apadlock for use in connection with my device, and Fig. 6 is an elevationof the box-key and carrier on a reduced scale.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a cylindrical casing or box-key carrier, socalled, as being analogous to the key-carrier of my abovemeutionedpatent, and which casing is preferably made of thin metal or other lightmaterial.

At one end of the carrier is a disk plate 2, riveted or otherwiserigidly secured thereto and having a tubular stem 3 projecting therefromwhich carries diametrically-opposed key-blades 4:.

A solid cylindrical core 5 is journaled at both ends in the ends of thecarrier 1, with one of its trunnions 6 projecting through a circularopening in the end of the carrier and fitting within the stem 3, whereit has a tapering projection 7, which extends toward the mouth of thetubular stem 3 and is semicircular in cross-section. This projection isherein referred to as the guard, which is adjusted with relation to theremainder of the key.

Ashaft 8 extends from one end of the carrier 1 to the other end and haspivotally mounted upon it a number of pawls or detents 9, each beingpressed upon by a spring 10 and having a hooked end to engage within oneof the notches 11, which are arranged spirally about the core 5.Diametrically opposite each notch 11 is a lug 12, projecting from thecore 5, and these of course are likewise arranged in a spiral formationabout the core. The lugs 12, however, are not in the same sectionalplane as the notches 11, being set so as to lie within sectional planeslocated intermediate of adjacent notches 11. A series of key-openings 13are arranged in a straight line along the carrier 1 and each has akey-guide 14 leading therefrom toward the core 5.

The carrier-keys 15 are confined within the mail-boxes 16 by means ofchains or in any other suitable manner and are provided with straightback 17 to slide upon the keyguides 14, and their opposite edges arecurved to form cams 18 to ride beneath and lift the pins 19, projectingfrom one side of the pawls 9, to raise the hooked ends of said pawls outof engagement with the notches 11 just prior to the engagement of theirends 20 with the lugs 12.

The mail-box key is of that sort which only has to be pressed into theopening of the lock to open same-that is, no turning of the key withinthe lock is necessary. Hence it will be seen that the guard 7 willfreely pass the similarly-shaped barrier 7 of the lock when said guardis turned to the proper angle with relation to the remainder of the key.However, if the guard should be at any other angle the guard and barrierwould conflict and prevent the insertion of the key.

The insertion of the proper key 15 in its slot 13 first elevates thepawl 9 out of engagement with the notch 11, so that the core 5 is freeto be rotated. Then the end 20 comes into contact with the lug orprojection 12 opposite said notch and gives the core a partial rotationuntil the next succeeding pawl 9 is forced by the spring into its notch11, when the core is again locked against further rotation, and thebox-key is adjusted to fit only the lock of the following box in theroute by reason of the new position of the guard 7.

The operation of the device Will be readily understood from theforegoing description. The collector on leaving the post-office for hiscollection takes with him the carrier, with the guard of the box-key inposition for opening the lock of the first box in the route. When thisbox has been opened and the contents removed, he employs the key foundtherein to turn the core 5, so as to change the angle of the guard 7 tothe position in which it will operate the lock of the second box. Theoperation is continued throughout the remaining boxes of the route untilwhen the key in the last box is used it turns the core and guard back totheir original position for operating the lock to the first box, thecore in the meantime having made a complete revolution.

It will be understood, of course, that the notches 11 and lugs orprojections 12 are arranged around the box-key in accordance with thenumber of boxes in the route in such manner as that the box-key willhave made a complete revolution on each circuit of the boxes. It willalso be observed that instead of the lugs or projections 12 the box-keymay be provided with notches upon which the carrier-key acts instead ofthe lugs.

Various details of construction may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not desire to belimited to the exact construction herein shown and described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a locking system for a series of receptacles, the combination witha portable carrieradapted to hold the key to said receptacles, of meanslocated at each of said receptacles for adjusting said key to a positionfor use at the next receptacle in the series.

2. The combination with a portable carrier adapted to hold the key to aseries of receptacles, of adjusting means located within each of thereceptacles for adjusting the key to a position for use at the nextreceptacle in the series.

3. In a locking system for a series of receptacles, the combination witha portable carrier, of an adjustable key adapted to open one receptacleonly in the series in each of its several adjustments, and means locatedat each of the receptacles for changing the position of the key to adaptit to open the next succeeding receptacle.

4. In a mail-box-locking system, the combination with a portablecarrier, containing means adapted to open all the boxes in the system, aguard carried by said means and means located at each box for changingthe position of the guard to permit the opening of the next box in theseries.

5. In a mail-box-locking system, the combination with a portable carrierholding a key adapted to open all the boxes in the system, an adjustableguard carried by said key and means located at each box for changing theposition 'of the guard to permit the key to open the next receptacle.

6. In a device of the character described, a casing, a key mountedthereon, a core journaled in the casing, a guard carried by said core, aseries of pawls pivoted in the casing and adapted to engage in notchesin the core,

in combination with keys adapted to be in serted through openings in thecasing to release the pawls from-engagement with the notches and givethe core a partial rotation.

7. In a device of the character described, a casing, a key mountedthereon, a core journaled in the casing, a guard carried by said core, aseries of pawls pivoted in the casing, notches in the core and springsadapted to press said pawls into engagement with said notches, incombination with keys adapted .0 be inserted through openings in thecasing to release the engagement of the pawls with the notches and givethe core a partial rotation.

8. In a device of the character described, a

CHAS. E. RIORDAN, T. B. SHOEMAKER.

